Nicknamed the “Las Vegas of Asia”, Macau is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong and is easily accessible by a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Not only they do have a different currency in Macau, it has entirely different feel and look from Hong Kong. There are basically two parts to the city – the old, historic city itself and the Cotai Strip with its glamourous hotels and casinos.
Epic Things to do:
Historic Center & Senado Square
Ruins of St Paul
Cotai Strip and The Venetian Macao
The historic center of Macau reflects its former Portuguese roots. It is fun to walk the winding, narrow streets and just take it all in. There are many beautiful European buildings to admire and it feels more like you are in Portugal than China. It is a busy and fun place to see, shop in and try a new snack. Don’t miss the bright yellow Dominic’s Church – which is picture perfect!
The ruins of St. Paul were originally St. Paul’s College and the catholic Church of St Paul. A 17th century Portuguese church, you can climb the steps for beautiful views. There is only a little bit of the structure left, although you can tour the museum underground.
The Cotai Strip is Macau’s version of the Las Vegas Strip, filled with casinos and hotels, shopping malls and restaurants. You can spend hours here just walking around and admiring everything. And still they continue to work and build more. It is all new, modern and opulent.
We picked the Venetian Macao to explore. The Venetian Macao is a luxury hotel and casino resort that is modeled after its sister property in Las Vegas. The property is themed on the romantic streets and canals of Venice right down to the gondola rides, the replica of St Marks Square and the painted sky. It is one of the biggest casinos in the world, with 550,000 square meters of dedicated gaming space. If you aren’t looking for a bargain you can also stroll through the mall packed with luxury shops. I’m not a gambler but I would not risk missing out a walk through of this property because it is unreal!
Overall – it was a fun but full day trip from Hong Kong, and I look forward to returning to catch just a bit more of all there was to see!
